Whitecross Hereford
104%
Capacity
940
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Whitecross Hereford
Whitecross Hereford is a popular choice among local families, with 226 first-preference applications for 183 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.1. Of those first-preference applicants, 182 received an offer, meaning the school is genuinely in demand and most who put it first secured a spot. Parent satisfaction signals are strong, though the school does not publish a formal parent-view survey percentage. The school is a state secondary for ages 11 to 16, with no sixth form, and is led by headteacher Timothy Knapp. It currently has 940 pupils on roll, which is above its official capacity of 900, reflecting its popularity. Around 15.5 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is in line with the national average for a mainstream comprehensive.
Academically, Whitecross Hereford is a solidly performing school with room for improvement. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, a significant turnaround from the previous inspection in 2022 when it was judged Inadequate. In the 2023 inspection, every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — was rated Good. On the Progress 8 measure for 2023/24, the school scored -0.3, which is slightly below the local authority average of -0.22 and places it 7th out of 15 secondary schools in Herefordshire. The Attainment 8 score was 46, and 59.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate was 23.3 per cent, with 12.2 per cent achieving the EBacc at grade 4 or above. Progress in English was notably weaker than in maths, with a Progress 8 English score of -0.72 compared to -0.45 in maths.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, tennis courts, and a chapel, alongside clubs such as orchestra, Model UN, gardening, and Young Enterprise. Sports on offer include rowing, cricket, netball, and athletics. For pupils with additional needs, the school has a broad SEND provision covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. Whitecross Hereford is a good fit for families who want a large, inclusive, non-denominational secondary school in Hereford that has shown clear improvement under its current leadership, and who are comfortable with a school that is oversubscribed but still accessible to most first-preference applicants.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Three Elms Road, Hereford, Herefordshire, County of, HR4 0RN |
| Headteacher | Timothy Knapp |
| Local Authority | Herefordshire, County of |
| Number of Pupils | 940 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.5% |
| School Capacity | 940 / 900 (104% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
7 Jun 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 17 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.30)
2239th of 3,141
Nationally
240th of 371
In West Midlands
7th of 15
In Herefordshire, County of
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 187 pupils).
- FE college44%
- Sixth form college40%
- Employment7%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Not sustained2%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed183
384
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
226 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:30
Breakfast club
08:30-08:42
Source: whitecross.hereford.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British86.0%
- White (other)8.4%
- Mixed1.6%
- Asian0.7%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Whitecross Hereford
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Three Elms Road, Hereford
Herefordshire, County of, HR4 0RN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Whitecross Hereford!
Write a Review